Hambastegi Website, Sep. 11 – A Christian news agency said the State Security Forces attacked the annual conference of Evangelists in Karaj and arrested at least 80 of Iran’s church leaders. The news agency said 10 priests are in detention and the rest were freed. The families of the 10 priests have no information about them.

Women

Islamists increase pressure on Iranian women

Reuters, Sep. 3, Tehran - About 500 hardline vigilantes have taken to the streets of Tehran, demanding authorities crack down on women who wear colourful headscarves and figure-hugging coats which they denounce as "prostitution".

Tehran's hardline authorities have announced a clampdown on women who do not dress suitably modestly but the crowd, mainly composed of long-shirted black-bearded men, called on the police and new conservative parliamentarians to do more.

Iran moves to roll back rights of women

The New York Times, Sep. 19, Tehran - After the legislative session began in June, the 290-member Parliament, including all 12 of the women, abruptly rejected proposals to expand the inheritance right of Iranian women and to adopt the United Nations convention that bans discrimination against women. They also backed away from previous efforts to make "gender equality" a goal of the country's next four-year development plan.

Instead, the new Parliament has called for placing more restrictions on women's attire and on their social freedoms.

Suicides

16-year-old commits suicide

Aftab-e Yazd daily, Sep. 2 – A 16-year-old (boy) named Abdolreza hanged himself with a rope and died.

Suicide grows among Iranian youth

Hambastegi website, Sep. 4 - Iran's state-run media reported on the suicide of three youths between ages of 18 and 25, in the cities of Tehran, Khorramshahr and Galekesh.

An 18-year old girl named Ommol-Banin G. committed suicide by throwing herself in front of a truck in Ghalikesh's Minoudasht town. Witnesses stood 30 meters from her and tried to prevent the suicide but the young girl threw herself under the truck.

Also in Tehran, a 22-year old student jumped off the balcony of an apartment in Saadat Abad and died.

In Khorramshahr, a 25-year old hanged himself from a bridge and died. A few days before, another young man by the name of Arash attempted to commit suicide as well.

Student commits suicide

Aftab daily, Sep. 7 – Hamed M., 22, resident of Kashan, died in Tehran's Loqman hospital after he took poison for failing in the university entrance exam.

Boy, 17, attempts suicide

Hamvatan Salam daily, Sep. 11 – A 17-year-old boy by the name of Ghanbar from Varamin, doused himself with gasoline and set fire to himself in front of his mother. He is now hospitalized in Tehran with 57 percent burns. The reason for such act was said to be extreme poverty.

63 suicides in one week in Tehran

Aftab daily, Sep. 18 – During one week, 63 cases of suicide were registered in Tehran’s emergency unit. The information indicated that 32 cases were men and 20 were women.

29 year old sets self on fire

News Network TV, Sep. 19 – A 29-year-old man set himself ablaze in Tehran’s Vali Asr Square in front of onlookers. The man showed up in Vali Asr Square with a bucket of fuel and set himself on fire.

Conscript soldier, 19, commits suicide

Jomhouri Islami daily, Sep. 23 – A conscript soldier committed suicide Tuesday night in Rastab village near Farsan. The 19 year old, named Iman Omidi, hanged himself from the ceiling and died before police arrived.

Middle-age man jumps off high building, dies

Aftab daily, Sep. 22 – A middle-aged employee of the Army committed suicide by jumping from a height.

Other news

Political prisoners’ hunger strike in Evin, Rajaii Shahr prisons

Peik Net website, Sep. 9 – Political prisoners in Rajaii Shahr and Evin prisons once again went on hunger strikes. Some of the prisoners are families of political prisoners who were detained on charges of gathering outside the United Nations office in Tehran on August 17.

ICFTU says Tehran breaches obligation under ILO by trying labour activists

ICFTU Press Release, Sep. 23, Brussels - The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions today expressed its deep regret and concern over the failure of the Iranian authorities to allow international observers to attend the trial of seven labour activists, which starts on 23 September. Defence lawyers for the accused have also expressed their preoccupation over the fact that the trial will take place in the absence of the observers.

International Moral Court censures rights situation in Iran

PR Newswire, Sep. 25, Paris - The International Moral Court on Iran concluded its initial three-day session in Paris today and issued its decision in relation to gross and systematic violations of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

[The following resolution was adopted unanimously by the Court:]

The International Moral Court …

Concludes, prima facie, that there is sufficient material evidence to determine that gross and systematic violations of international human rights standards have taken place, and are still being perpetrated in the Islamic Republic of Iran. These violations concern, in particular, the civil and political rights, minority rights, torture and other inhumane treatments such as stoning, amputations, and rape. It will be for a court of law to determine if these findings constitute a crime against humanity…